# Smokin a Pork Shoulder



## Opusfxd (Nov 17, 2007)

So other than the jokes about keeping it lit is harder than a wet cigar, I'm intending to smoke a couple pork shoulders tomorrow night for a Saturday afternoon birthday party for my girlfriend.

The information I've found is two hours for each pound, but Costco only had boneless ones. I looked around a bit and couldn't find a honest bone in shoulder to acquire within my time period here.

My question to fellow Q'ers here is the boneless time similar to that with a bone in? I'm trying to time it all so if I have to wake up and nurse it through the night I'm not having to pull it off at 3 am because I screwed up. (BTW, my smoker has been at my parent's house for the last few years so I'm a bit rusted through - don't want to mess this one up).

Thanks in advance.


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## SmokeyJoe (Oct 3, 2006)

One of the resident experts around here is Patrick - *bigswol2*.

You might send him a PM... and if you feel funny, tell him *SmokeyJoe* said you should contact him. :ss


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## EvanS (Dec 29, 2006)

LOL - Patrick is somehat legendary, true that.

I think ultramag is another smoking smoker as well.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Try 90 minutes a pound in the smoker.


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## Kaisersozei (Feb 5, 2008)

Yep, I would shoot for 90 min/lb total cooking time. You can also cheat a bit and just keep the meat on the smoker for a little more than half the time (say 7 hours for a 9# roast,) then put it in a 225dg oven for the remaining time. Beats trying to keep the temp regulated in a smoker all day, and has never affected the taste of my bbq.


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## smokehouse (Jan 31, 2007)

I plan on smoking me some ribs and sausage tomorrow. Heres a forum for ya to check out. Taught me how to smoke food.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/


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## bigswol2 (Feb 18, 2007)

It's gonna be a long night. Are you going to use wood or charcoal with wood pieces?


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## Opusfxd (Nov 17, 2007)

I hate to say it but I'm going to cheat and use electric with wood chunks.


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## livwire68 (Oct 2, 2006)

I am sorry I did not catch this sooner. Hope all is going well with the smoke. The pork shoulder is a bit harder to smoke (more like a ham and wont fall apart very well) I prefer butts to make a pulled pork. I typically can start my smoker early morning and by afternoon have a perfect brisket or pork product. Did you use a rub? I would recommend a drip pan under the meat you may get a burnt fat taste if dripping directly on the wood pan. What kind of wood are you using? Depending on the wood I use a spray bottle of apple juice or different beverages (helps add a bit of moisture to the smoke. If I recall it takes longer to cook with bone in. I try to keep my smoker around 240 -250 deg. I typically can smoke most meats in 6-8 hours depending on size. I would say using an electric smoker, smoke 4-6 hours then wrap in heavy foil putting 1/4-1/2 cup of liquid in and put on grill for 2 hours. If you have a four burner grill then use the two outer burners and place meat in center using low flame (same goes with a 3 burner. If you have a 2 burner go low and use a higher rack or put a pan up side down and meat on top ( a buffer zone from direct heat) in any case if the temp is too high crack the lid a bit to get the desired temp (remember even with the grill "slow and low") O' and if your electric smoker has a water pan use it about half water and half beverage of your choice and only fill about a 1/4- 1/3( the moisture will help the smoke stick and keep the meat from drying out to bad, but should not be a big problem on a fatty meat) Hope this can at least help for a later smoke. Happy smokin!


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## Opusfxd (Nov 17, 2007)

Well it's done. Thanks to all you Brothers that lent some advice. Here's how it went down. I split a jar of John Henry's Apple Rub between the two 7 pound boneless shoulders on Thursday and let them hang out in the fridge. About 9 Friday night I loaded up the smoker with about 10 chunks of soaked applewood and put 1/2 gallon of Apple cider and 1/2 gallon of water in the pan. 

I let the shoulders go for about 6 hours when they hit 140 and I wanted to go to bed. I double wrapped them in some foil individually, tapped in my thermometer and let them sit in the 225-250 degree oven until they hit 200 at about 1015 at which time I turned off the oven and let them hang out for an hour. I then moved them into a deep baking pan on a meat rack, tented them and back in the oven to wait for me to go over to set up for my gf's suprise party.

I chose Sticky Fingers Mustard sauce as my choice to top the port off after shredding it but the masses seemed drawn to the KC Masterpiece. Oh well can't do anything about that. I was out back grilling chicken kabobs in a snowstorm. :ss

Anyways, thanks again for the assistance and opinions. Everyone loved it.


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